At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason. (A website by Trevor Grant Thomas designed to inform the world from a Christian conservative worldview, and to make new and better disciples of Jesus Christ.)
The ultimate question for us all: What shall I do with Jesus? (Matt. 27:22)

Monday, May 19, 2014

Fear Not the "Fiery Furnace"

Around 600 BC, during the reign of Jehoiakim (who “did evil
in the eyes of the Lord”), Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
invaded Judah and laid siege
to Jerusalem. This
was, as the prophet Jeremiah reveals, because the Israelites refused to listen to
and obey God. Nebuchadnezzar eventually captured King Jehoiakim, robbed the
magnificent temple that Solomon had built, and carried the goods back to the
temple of his god.

Additionally, Nebuchadnezzar ordered his court officials to
bring to Babylon select young Israelites “without any physical defect,
handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to
understand” and otherwise qualified in every way possible to serve in the
king’s palace. Among those selected
from Judah
were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Of course, most of us know the latter three by their
Chaldean names: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The biblical account of
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego recorded in the book of Daniel are
great examples of a faith that runs counter to the culture—even the legal code
of the culture, and even when it means facing the harshest of consequences.
Though such faith is required in manyparts
of the world
today, few Americans have ever had to make life or death decisions because of whom
or how they worship.

Given increasingly
friendly judiciaries and legislatures that are intent on accommodating the
Gay Gestapo, it is likely to become more and more difficult, and the
consequences more and more severe, to stand for the truth when it comes to the moral
issues facing us today. It will not be enough simply to try to keep our
heads above water in such matters—to “live and let live” as some might say. We
must either stand against the swelling tide that seeks to remake our culture forever,
or be swept away into the sex-obsessed sewers occupied by today’s liberals.

In other words, the choice before us is somewhat like it was
in the days of Nebuchadnezzar and his ninety-foot high “image of gold:” fall
down and worship at the altar of the modern-day
Baals, or defy those bent on immorality and face their consequences. Those
with Christian, or similar, worldviews, will soon face, if they are not already
facing, some stark choices.

As same-sex marriage is forced on more-and-more states, what
will be our recourse? If you’re a Christian adoption agency, business owner,
church, or school and you don’t want to hire, marry, provide, or otherwise
compromise with abortion and homosexuality, what will you choose? If you are
sued and the courts rule against you, what then?

As a pro-homosexual
curriculum becomes more and more a part of our government schools, where will
parents turn? When churches are forced to hire or perform ceremonies for
homosexuals, what then? Are we never to speak out in favor of or contribute to
causes in which we believe?

As Al Mohler recently pointed
out, “We are in the midst of a massive revolution in morality.” He adds
that, “sexual morality is at the center of this revolution.” Mohler refers
directly to a “crossroads” and alludes to an unavoidable showdown that is looming
within the evangelical church. However, I believe this is the case for our
nation in general.

Should we simply retreat into our churches, homes, private
schools, and home-schools? Should we acquiesce to immorality in the name of
keeping our jobs? As I implied above, even then we will still unlikely be safe from
the long arms of the demons
that are bent on destroying us. Make no mistake, if the culture continues
its collapse into the ever increasing depths of debauchery, the consequences
will continue to be far reaching.

Rev. Mark Creech elaborates
on this point in his Mother’s Day column when, using the historical example
of the upbringing of Joseph Stalin, he wisely warns us that we often “fail to
recognize that we are all interconnected in ways that we would never imagine. What
happens in the culture plays a huge role in the outcomes of our lives and the lives
of our children (link is mine).”

Thus, when it comes to the grave truths of life in the womb
and the sacred institution that consists of a husband and a wife—the most
important relationship in the universe after our relationship with our Creator—it
is time for more of us to take our stand.

This is especially the case in the political, information, entertainment,
and education industries. Not because these industries are the most important,
but because they reach so many lives, and because they are so corrupt. As
Michael Sam the homosexual (not Michael Sam the football player) is being
celebrated by the NFL, ESPN, and others,
where are those who know the truth and will stand up and be heard?

We need people who will look at their “fiery furnace” and
boldly declare: “We do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If
we lose our jobs or our positions, the God we serve is able to provide for us,
and He will deliver us from your immoral hand. But even if He
does not, we want you to know that we will never support the killing of
children in the womb, a redefinition of marriage, or any kind of sexual
immorality.”

In other words, we need more folks like the Benham
brothers. As you are probably well aware by now, HGTV dropped the reality
show featuring the Benhams due to pressure from liberal groups. The pressure
was the result of the pro-life, pro-family activities of the two Christian
brothers. Upon losing their show, and sounding a bit like Esther, who, as the
Old Testament describes, was willing to challenge the law of her time
declaring, “if I perish, I perish,” the Benham brothers announced, “If our
faith costs us a television show, then so be it.” Americans need to witness
more of this, especially from those with high profiles.

As we stand against the immorality that liberals seek to
legitimize through our legal code, who knows but that the end result could be,
as it was with Nebuchadnezzar and a later Babylonian king, Darius, recognition
of the truth and subsequent repentant actions. Whatever the result, the very
fate of our culture depends on it.

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